The Joyful Heart: Devotions to Fill Your Day with Peace

WEDNESDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 2024

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18

13: Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.

14: For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

15: According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

18: Therefore encourage one another with these words.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN

Paul wants to make a clarification to believers when he says, "we do not want you to be ignorant as per those who fall asleep (cf. 4:13). He wants them to understand that death is just like sleep because they would have been transformed at that point. He is of the opinion that believers can sorrow but should not grieve like others or the heathens. This is common in the whole world, especially in Africa.

There is an assurance that those believers who have died would share equally with the living in the events of the rapture and the resurrection: both the living and the dead would be there on that day.

On His first return, Jesus secured our redemption but during the second coming there will be a manifestation of Jesus in glory at the end of age. His coming will be both physical and visible and the Church will experience a rapture that will not be a secret; it will be open for all eyes to see. Praise the Lord!

Apostle Paul made known all of these activities bordering on the second coming of Jesus Christ so that believers will take heart and be encouraged.

As believers, we all look forward to the promise of Jesus Christ' return.

QUESTION: As we await Christ's second coming, is our sexual behaviour different from that of unbelievers who do not know Christ?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, as I await Your second coming, help me to walk in purity and abstain from every kind of unlawful sexual activities, in Jesus name. Amen.